Buongiorno! A Taste of Italian Mornings

If you’re visiting Italy from another country where breakfast is a large meal, you may be disappointed. ‘Is that all there is?!’ you might think, and yes, probably.

That’s because a typical Italian breakfast is small, simple and almost always includes something sweet – likely bread, butter and jam – and it’s usually eaten on the go.

In Miami, we’ve got you covered for morning Italian treats – like grab-and-go coffee and pastries, tasty breakfast delights and espresso leisurely enjoyed. But you’ll also find more substantial brunches that pull out all the stops for a full Italian dining experience!

Gourmands living in SoBe’s tony South of Fifth area love Prima Classe Italian Market & Cafe at 842 First St. in Miami Beach (305.763.8431). This little neighborhood gem has a casual atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating, background music and attentive service. Pop in for crostatina with artisan jams, and yummy fresh pastries such as plain or filled croissants with a choice of chocolate pistachio, or “gianduja,” and Italian coffees at the espresso bar. You can also get a ham and fontina sandwich, a “torta rustica” with ham and cheese on puff pastry, or an omelet or scrambled eggs. The generously sized avocado toast, served on multigrain bread with fresh seasoned avocado and extra virgin olive oil, has a smoked salmon add-on option.

Should the mood strike you, there’s fresh juice, Limonata, Manarinata, Cinotto, Cedrata, Arancita Fiuggi water, mimosas, cappelletti spritzes, Poretti beer and wine. In the teeny shoe-box space inside, you’ll find an authentic Italian grocery section offering a nice selection of imported quality foodstuffs such as marinated artichokes, cheeses, packaged pastas, canned tomatoes, tunas and olive oils. If your yacht is docked at the nearby marina, this is the ideal place to stop by for a quick bite, order takeout or stock your galley. Delivery is with Uber Eats.

In the Edgewater neighborhood, locals flock to Mercato Miami Italian Market at 460 NE 28th St. (305.514.0259) for the hand-roasted coffee, individually made with super-friendly service; it’s worth the wait. That’s because “real Italian coffee” is on the menu – Lavazza Qualita Oro and Lavazza Espresso Dek, as well as a fine selection of the best Brazilian Arabica coffees blended with natural Robusta. If you’re a typical Italian breakfast eater and want to grab something sweet to go there’s a great selection of croissants and pastries, some featuring Nutella, guava, cheese or coconut.

Heartier fare, such as the typical egg dishes, are available. Juices include mango, orange and passion fruit. And even if it’s the smell of hand-roasted coffee wafting through the neighborhood that first brings you here, there’s a market stocked with authentic Italian goods you can take advantage of, too. There’s minimal indoor seating but the outdoor area has tables perfect for leisurely lingering over a cappuccino. And you don’t have to leave Fido at home – Mercato is pet friendly.

For a full Italian brunch experience, Toscana Divino at 900 S. Miami Ave. in Mary Brickell Village (305.371.2767) has launched a unique Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. led by executive chef Andrea Marchesin and featuring authentic Tuscan food. Reserve a table on the lively outdoor terrazza with Brickell views. If you prefer a quieter ambience, the elegant indoor dining room is filled with interesting art, books and fine glassware. There’s a DJ from Thursday to Sunday, but the sound level is not intrusive.

The Sunday brunch prix fixe menu of three courses for $55 a person features a tower of freshly baked bread and croissants, accompanied by Italian-style homemade jams, butter and luscious seasonal fruit served family style. As you sip your Bellini, martini, bloody mary or vino – selected from the extensive Italian wine list – an attentive server explains every detail of the menu with care. Choices include spaghetti vongole, truffle carbonara, omelet with oyster salad, hearty steak and eggs, or an 8-ounce aged rib-eye (that one is a $15 add-on option). Complete your meal with not-to-be-missed “dolci,” or dessert, such as the zabaglione al limoncello e berries; ricotta cheesecake with salted caramel sauce; or waffle al miele with vanilla gelato and warm Florida honey.

Notable and somewhat new on the scene is Osteria Morini at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar, located at 1750 Alton Rd. in South Beach (305.918.1037) and serving up Emilia-Romagna-style cuisine. You can get freshly baked house-made pastries ($5 each or 3 for $12) served from 7:30 a.m. But stop in on the weekend for chef di cucina Thomas Levandoski’s fabulous brunch, served Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Former Ibiza DJ and producer Timka, who helped launch the Buddha Bar recordings, spins cool music from noon to 4 p.m.

The weekend brunch prix fixe three-course menu at $55 per person is a great value, with a choice of antipasti, pasta or other dishes, and dessert. Appetizers include carciofi – Roman-style marinated grilled artichokes with herbed yogurt and cippolini onions; baked burrata with San Marzano tomato, eggplant and basil; and our favorite, bomboloni, citrus-scented doughnuts with vanilla anglaise and strawberry-chili dipping sauce. Main dish choices offer the cleverly named “Eggs in Hell” with spicy pomodoro, Castelvetrano olives and Parmigiana; eggs Norwegian; French toast; or the Morini Morning: two eggs any style with crispy potatoes, choice of bacon or chicken sausage, and crostini.

Openings

As “la propensione” for Italian restaurant openings continues, the Design District leads the charge, welcoming Contessa at 111 NE 41st St. (305.990.8707). Created by the hospitality brand Major Food Group and co-founders Jeff Zalaznick, Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, Contessa’s Miami outpost follows the first location that opened up in Boston in 2021. The elegant two-story dining concept is inspired by the old-world villas of Northern Italy, perhaps a palatial lakeside estate in Lake Como? The gorgeous interior surrounds you inVenetian pink walls with jewel-toned banquettes and chairs, Murano lighting and an art deco marble floor.

Carnivores will appreciate the chianina beef carpaccio, classic veal Milanese and bistecca Fiorentina. There are several signature pizzas, and pastas including a spicy lobster capellini, rigatoni carbonara and tortellini served in broth.

Cocktails are perfectly crafted by bar director Nathan McCarley, some inspired by recipes dating back to the 1920s. The wine list features Northern and Central Italian wines with the best vintages of Barolo and Barbaresco, and wines of Alte-Piedmont and Lombardy.

Sofia Design District at 140 NE 39 St. in Miami (786.220.0225) is another new classic Italian dining experience. The ambience is lively and glamour rules in the stunning flamingo pink and amethyst décor. Rose-colored umbrellas on the outdoor terrace complete the chic look.

Inspired by Sophia Loren and nostalgia for “la dolce vita,” Sofia’s menu boasts selections from many regions of Italy, with several crudo and antipasti selections, such as ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers with honey, pecorino and fennel pollen. Fresh handmade pasta is the headliner, and the seafood options include gamberetti (wild prawns) and aragosta (lobster poached in butter). Craft cocktails are infused with regionally sourced herbs; wines hail from 20 regions and feature varietals from various terroirs and microclimates in Piedmont, Tuscany and Mount Etna. There’s nightly entertainment, and brunch and lunch are coming soon.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier. Her vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world. Her feature articles have appeared in print publications, travel guidebooks, and websites in the US. and Europe.